Betts in the frame for England job

Former Wigan and Great Britain forward Denis Betts has emerged as a surprise contender for the vacant England coaching job.

Betts, now on the backroom staff of rugby union Premiership club Gloucester, is thought to have been interviewed for the post vacated by Tony Smith in the wake of last November’s Four Nations final.

Denis Betts

Betts was appointed as head coach of Wigan in 2005 but was soon demoted to assistant to make way for the arrival of Ian Millward , and resigned in November of that year after refusing to take charge of the club’s under-21s.

Mike Ford and Shaun Edwards , two other former league internationals now plying their trade in the 15-man code, have also been linked with the job but have distanced themselves from the speculation.

Current Super League coaches Steve McNamara (Bradford), who was assistant to Smith, Richard Agar (Hull) and Brian McDermott (Harlequins) are also thought to have been interviewed by a four-man panel.

A spokesman for the Rugby Football League confirmed that interviews have taken place place but added: “It’s an ongoing process and we have no comment to make until it is completed.”

The League are thought to have decided on a full-time British coach for the national team working alongside an experienced overseas mentor such as Wayne Bennett, who played a key support role in New Zealand’s shock 2008 World Cup triumph.

Former Great Britain captain Paul Sculthorpe is helping with the search for a new coach, who is expected to be unveiled shortly after Easter.

The new man’s first match will be the mid-season international against France at Leigh on June 12 ahead of the autumn Four Nations series in Australia and New Zealand.